Fire-alarm system.



H. R. & W. C. HU'GHS.

FIRE ALARM SYSTEM,

APPLICATION m sn AUG. 3.0. I916.

1,244,382.. Patented Oct. 23,1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

H. R. & W. C. HUGHS.

FIRE ALARM SYSTEM.

APPLlCATiON FILED AUG-30. I916.

1,244,332. Patented Oct. 23,1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

L0fi aver Kz'iefien C) Ji'z'icken G Pa/rlar H. R. & w. c. HUGHS.

FIRE ALARM SYSTEM. APPLICATION HLED Aueao. 1916.

1,244,332. Patented 001:. 23, 1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET s.

1 Main 82' Q Elm 32.

HARRY n. HUGHS Ann WADE c. HUGHS, or WALHALLA, scorn CAROLINA.

' FIRE-ALARM 'srs'rnm.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patentedoct. 23, 1917.

Application filed August so, 1916. Serial in. 117,751.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, HARRY R. HUGHS and WADE G. Evans, citizens of the United States, residing at Walhalla, in the county of ()conee and State of South Carolina, have invented new and useful Improvements in Fire-Alarm Systems, of which the following is a specification. I

This invention relates to improvements in fire alarm systems and has particular application to an automatic fire alarm system.

In carrying. out the present invention, it is fire alarm system wherein by means of thermostatic circuit closers, located in the various compartments of the protected structure, a central alarm will be sounded in the protected structure and the location of the which the fire is compartment in which the fire is present indicated, and a: signal given at'the city fire station and the location of the structure in resent indicated so that pro er steps may e taken to extinguish the con agration.

It is also our purpose to provide a system of the type set forth which will embrace the desired features of simplicity, efficiency and durability, and which will operate eflectivel when conditions warrant.

With t e above and other objects in view,

the invention consists in the construction,

combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter set forth in sec eof the claims.

11 the accompanying drawings; Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view' of our improved fire alarm system showing the circuit connections.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of one 'ofthe circuit closers.

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the indicating apparatus in the protected st cture.

- ig. 4 is a vertical sectional view on the line 44 of Fig.3.

Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view on the line 5-5 of Fig. 8. a

Fig. 6 is a front elevation of the indicating apparatus located at the city firestation. P

Located in each compartment of-the protected structure is a circuit closer 1 compris ing a base plate 2 adapted to be fastened our purpose to provide an automatic position in the and falling within the a Fig. 7 is a sectional view on the line 77 contact post 5, while secured to the base plate adjacent to the contact post 5 is a receptacle 6 and disposed in the receptacle 6 is one end of a capsule 7 formed of parafiin or the like and having the other end in engagement with the finger 4. This capsule 7 acts to hold the contact finger 4 normally out of engagement with the trated in Fig. 2 of, the drawings. however, the capsule is melted, owing tothe presence of heat, the finger 4 is relieved of the restraint thereof and springs against the contact post 5.

Located at some central or conspicuous protected structure is a local indicating apparatus 8 embodying a substantially rectangular casing 9 having the post 5, as illus- When,

' names of the various compartments in the protected structure inscribed on the front wall thereof and arranged one above the other, as shown at 10. Formed in the front wall of the casing 9 at the corresponding ends of the respective inscriptions areopenings 11 and seated in the respective opefi ings are lamps 12. Behind the front wa adjacent to the respective lamps 12 areelectroresponsive devices. 13 controlling horizontal shafts 14 respectively and mounted upon each shaft 14 behind the front wall of the casing is an arm 15, while secured to the outer end of each shaft 14 and disposed upon the outer'side of the front wall of the casing is an indicating arrow 16. The arms 15 and the arrows 16 are normally disposed in a vertical position and upon the energization of an one of the electroresponsive devices 13, t e armature 13 moves to release the arm 15 and the corresponding shaft 14 is rotated to turn the arm 15 and the arrow '16 to a horizontal position,'the arrow pointing to the corresponding inscription on the front wall of the casing to indicate the location of the conflagration. Mounted u on the casing 9 is an electrically operated ell 17. Arranged behind the front wall of the easifig 9 are vertical bus bars18 and 19 spaced apart from each other and connected to the bus bars 18 and19 and projecting toward each other are contact lugs 20 normally spaced apart and arranged adjacent to the respective 'electroresponsive devices 13. These lugs 20, 20 adjacent to each electroresponsive device 13 are adapted to be bridged by a bridging strip 22 carried by the adjacent arm 15 when the latter swings to vertical position under the action of the electroresponsive device. connected across the bus bars so that the circuit including such bars may be closed by hand when desired or necessary.

A source of electrical energy is shown at 23, and connected to the opposite sides of such source and extending throughout the protected structure are iced wires 24. Connected across the feed wires 24 and in series with one another are the corresponding circuit closers, electroresponsive devices 13 and lamps 12, the connection between each ClI'-' cuit closer and the .electroresponsive device being such that the inscription on the front wall of the casing adjacent to the electroresponsive device corresponds to the location of the circuit closer. Thebell 17 is preferably connected in series with each set em' bodying a circuit closer, electroresponsive device and lamp, as clearly illustrated in Fi 1 of the drawings' ocated at the city fire station is a central indicating apparatus embodying a casing 25 having the names or locations of the protected structures inscribed on the front wall thereof and arranged one above another.- Formed in the front wall of the easing 25 at one end of each inscription is an opening 26 and disposed within the opening 26 is an electric lam 27, while arranged within the casing 25 adjacent to the respective lamps 27 are electroresponsive devices 28 whose armatures 13 release arms 15 carrying arrows 16 like those described, and arranged upon the outer side of the front wall of the casing 25. These arrows are also normally disposed in vertical position and capable of movement to horizontal position so as to point to the respective inscriptions on the front wall of the casin and connected with a suitable restoring device. Each electroresponsive device 28 is connected in series with the adjacent lamp 27 and each set of these translating devices corresponds to an indicating apparatus located in a protected structure, and this set of translating devices is connected in circuit ..--with a source of electrical energy and'the bus bars 18 and 19, as clearly shown in Fig.

. 1 of the drawings. Mounted upon the easing 25 is an electric bell 29 that is connected in series with each set of translating devices 28 and28 as shown in Fig. 1.

In practice, when a fire occurs in acompartment of the protected structure, the

rising temperature melts the capsule 7,

' thereby closing the circuit through the corresponding electroresponsive device 13 and lamp 12 upon the energization of the elec- A switch 19 isarranged in a protecte innate 29 at the fire station points to the inscription indicative of the protected structure in which the fire is present.

While we have herein shown and described the preferred form of our invention by way of illustration, we wish it to be understood that we do not limit or confine ourselves to the precise'details of construction herein described and delineated, as modification and variation may be made within the scope of the claims and without departing from the spirit of the invention.

We claim:

1.111 a fire alarm system, an indicator arranged in a protected structure and embodying a casing having the front wall thereof inscribed with the names of the compartments of the protected structure, arrows pivoted for swinging movement topoint to said inscriptions respectively, electroresponsive devices for actuating said arrows, lamps adjacent to said ele'ctroresponsive devices respectively, circuit closers located in the respective compartments of the protected structure adapted to operate under the action of heat, circuit connections between each circuit closer and the corresponding electro responsive device and lamp, an indicating apparatus located at a fire station remote from the protected structure, bus bars in the first-mentioned casing, contact lugs on said bus bars arranged adjacent to said electroresponsive devices respectively, and an arm connected to each arrow and movable therewith to bridge the adjacent contact lugs and circuit connections between said bus bars and the indicator at the station whereby the latter will be operated to indicate the location of the protected structure in which the fire is present.

2. In a fire alarm system, an indicator structure and embodying a casing having the front wall thereof inscribed with thenames of the compartments'of the protected structure, arrows pivoted for swinging movement to point to said inscriptions respectively, electroresponsive devices for actuating said arrows, lamps adjacent to said electroresponsive devices respectively, circuit closers located in the respective compartments of the protected structure adapted to operate: lnder the at:-

tion of heat, circuit connections between each circuit closer and thecorrespondin electroresponsive device and 1am an indicating apparatus located at a re station remote from the protected structure, bus bars in the first-mentioned casing, contact lugs on said bus bars arranged adjacent to said electroresponsive devices respectively, an arm connected to each arrow and movable therewith to bridge the adjacent contact lugs and circuit connections between I said bus bars and the indicator at the station whereby the latter will be operated to indicate the location of the protected strucmm in which the fire is present, and a bell 15 c connected in circuit with all of said circuit HARRY R. HUGHS. t

- WADE C. HUGHS. 

